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Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Today I have Laura Burks dropping by to chat with us about Altered, writing, and life in general. Thank you so much for stopping by Laura. I appreciate it so much! If you missed out on the review of Altered, or the two previous interviews with Laura, here are some links below. Enjoy!

What is the most interesting thing that has happened to you while writing Altered?

I discovered I like to write. The self-discovery and excitement along the way was almost too much to control. I’m not one to hide my feelings, so yes; you could see something was going on. I wore a smile so big and would tell everyone I knew I was writing a book. I can’t even keep my own secret. But that’s okay; it was a good one to tell.

Where do you write? Do you have any writing quirks?

We have a bedroom that’s part office and part TV room. I have a big window behind me so I don’t feel like I’m closed in. My house if very open which helps when keeping up with what’s going on with the rest of my family.

As far as writing quirks, I have to have it quiet to write. Although with two teenagers, I’m learning how to tune things out and write anyway.

How did you overcome writing challenges, like writer's block, making the time to write, etc.?

Writer’s block is so annoying. You know where you want the story to go, but it’s getting from the point you’re writing to where you want to go that can drive you crazy. For me, I have to take time every single day to at least sit and read my work. I find that if I skip a day, it’s so easy for another day, then another to slip by. Even if I don’t write or edit, which usually doesn’t happen, I still feel like I’m doing something.

What advice would you give other authors writing their first novel?

If you feel the passion to form words into a story, then you should write. Don’t let a dream sit solely in your head. Make it happen. Get started because you’ll never know the answer to “what if?” if you don’t try.

Are you working on another book? If so, can you share a little bit about it with us?

I actually have two more in the works. Both are young adult, but as of now, not paranormal. The young adult genre is what I like to read, and so, that’s the genre I plan on writing in.

As for a second book to Altered, it’s so tempting. Not sure just yet, but the idea is building.

Did you always know that you wanted to be an author?

No. I wanted to do so many things, but author was not one of them. Writing a book is so different from the other types of writing I’ve done. I would say a few months before I actually started writing my first novel, Altered, that it hit me that I wanted to write. I didn’t realize how much I wanted to continue until I put those first words down. Strange how writing starts to become an addiction, but in a good way, and you crave to see it through.

What do you like to do when you are not writing?

My family comes first, so anything we can do together is what I like to do. We love movies, boating, vacations to Disney World, the beach, and I can’t forget Hawaii. That was a trip of a lifetime. Yes, I like to read, but I have to admit, I don’t have my head in a book all the time. I just don’t have that luxury. Plus, to be a writer, you have to gain ideas from real life and the only way to get those ideas is to live it.